Light Me Up: 4 LED Flashlights Tested and Rated

Sub Title: Light Me Up: 4 LED Flashlights Tested and Rated

LED flashlights can do more than just light your way, they can save your life.

Given the low power requirements and small physical size of LEDs, flashlight manufacturers have been able to abandon the bulk and fragility of traditional torch models, and are now freely exploring more lightweight, rugged and feature-rich designs. Especially appealing are the newer flashlights crafted from military-grade aircraft aluminum, with scalloped crowns that can be used to break glass or knock an assailant out cold.

As you'd imagine, police, military personnel, and outdoor enthusiasts are all crazy about these heavy-duty LED flashlights. And so are we -- I looked at a quartet of diverse flashlight models, each weighing a pound or less, but each equally capable of delivering a brilliant beam or a deadly blow.

Photo by Alex Washburn/Wired

Fenix TK41

Encased in an imposing black shell made of anodized aluminum, the Fenix TK41 ($130) spits out a blinding 860 lumens beam at its max. It's the brightest of the flashlights I tested in this roundup. And although it weighs a full pound (due to its eight AA batteries), it actually feels lighter, thanks to the rhombic knurling along its barrel. The grooved pattern also provides a more solid grip.

Using a pair of switches on the side, you can quickly select between four different brightness levels and two strobe functions. The "turbo" mode pushes out 860 lumens, which is bright enough to be seen 1,600 feet away. Even what Fenix calls its "high beam mode" delivers a robust 365 lumens. The middle level illuminates at 120 lumens, which Fenix claims can last up to 27 hours on a single charge. A low-power mode produces a 15 lumen beam that can last for 10 days.

Hold down one of the control switches and a turbo-powered strobe flashes. Continue to hold the switch and the strobe transforms into an S.O.S. signal that can flash for more than a day on fresh batteries. Adding to the survival features is a scalloped tail cap that's strong enough to break glass -- just what you need to escape through your car window after catapulting off the icy bridge and into the river. Bonus: the TK41 has earned an IPX-8 waterproof certification, so it can be used continuously underwater.

WIRED Solid, fully waterproof construction. Several illumination levels and strobe modes. Blasts up to 860 lumens on the highest setting, and can run for 10 days on its lowest setting. Easy adjustment with dual switches on barrel.

TIRED One-pound weight and over 8-inch length is overkill for most applications. Eight AA batteries, while universally available, can be considered excessive.

The ProTac HL has a considerably shorter runtime than I expected, lasting just over an hour at its maximum setting. Switch it to its lower 33-lumen output, however, and it can last a full 18 hours. In an emergency, the strobe light can flash at full strength for 2.5 hours. It uses a pair of 3-volt CR123A lithium batteries, which look like shrunken C-cell batteries, and which are included with each purchase.

To dial in the different light settings, you use Streamlight's Ten-Tap switch, a rubberized spongy button of the company's own design. It's a programmable switch for flipping between ten different light settings -- that is, if you're agile enough to figure out the speed and force at which to push the button. A solid, single push (the default) turns on the high beam. Two light taps and a hold cranks up the strobe. Three taps and a hold gets you the low beam. But the flashlight's tap-switch requires you to learn too many tricks, and it should be simpler. Unless you can find the proper rhythm, you'll have difficulty landing on the intended setting.

The flashlight's relatively tiny size and very bright beam make it a good choice for outdoor applications -- especially since it's impervious to shock, can withstand impacts up to a 3-foot drop (about waist height). Also, it's waterproof to three feet, so it can be used in the rain.

WIRED Small and light flashlight kicks out a surprisingly strong 600 lumens from a single 50,000 hour LED. Also has a wide range of programmable, lower-range and strobe settings. The included canvas holster is a handy add-on.

TIRED Programmable power button demands a deft touch to achieve the intended setting. Relatively short battery life when on high beam.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Photo by Alex Washburn/Wired

Frontgate Defender

True to its name, Frontgate's Defender LED flashlight ($60) could save your ass in an emergency. It has a solid, military-grade aluminum construction and a glass-breaking scalloped crown. The level of illumination isn't shabby, either -- three LEDs shoot out 500 lumens in either direct or strobe modes.

Weighing in at 13 ounces with its included four 3-volt lithium batteries, the nine-inch-long Defender has a slender knurled barrel which offers a remarkably comfortable and sure grip. But that grip also reveals the top-heaviness of the crown. OK, it's engineered to be able to break glass, and it can probably crack a skull when wielded in self-defense, but it also gives the user a slight perception of imbalance. That's a minor peeve, especially when you consider such a beefy metal crown is needed to dissipate the heat produced by the LED bulbs.

The three lighting modes are operated by the spongy rubberized button on the flashlight's tail. It's much simpler and easier to operate than the Streamlight: one push for the full-strength 500-lumen beam, another for a still-bright 200 lumens, and one more push for the startlingly intense strobe setting. Battery life with the high beam on lasts about 3.5 hours, and the low beam will get you triple that.

WIRED Powerful 500 lumens beam on the brightest setting. Rugged, military grade construction. Blinding strobe setting is great for emergency alerts, making it a practical glove compartment tool.

TIRED Crown seems a bit top heavy and four Lithium batteries have so-so life in high lumens setting.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Photo by Alex Washburn/Wired

Tool Logic SL Pro Fire

The 100-lumen pocket light built into Tool Logic's SL Pro Fire ($51.75) seems almost an afterthought -- the main attraction here is the folding, 3-inch serrated blade. Remove the solid steel light from its sleeve above the knife and you'll see there's a premium magnesium alloy fire rod on its tail, rated for hundreds of strikes. The metal stick throws off a parade of sparks at an estimated 2,500 degrees. On the back of the knife handle is an embedded emergency whistle that lets out a piercing, shrill tone. All of these components have been squeezed into a compact, 4.2-ounce chassis, complete with a tight-fitting stainless steel belt clip.

Powered by four button cell batteries, the flashlight itself is comprised of a tough anodized aluminum, and is listed as waterproof -- though it's only sealed enough to stay waterproof in shallow depths of less than three feet. Also, 100 lumens is bright enough to use around the house or on a camping trip, but the beam is far from heavy duty. It'll do in a pinch.

I had some problems with the blade. Once popped open, closing the knife is tricky at first, as the locking mechanism is the same shade of deep black as the rest of the knife, and no instructions are provided to tell you where it is, or how to use it. Other than these missteps, the SL Pro Fire proves to be a versatile tool. You can find a lost set of car keys and then, using the same piece of equipment, you can kill, dress and cook a deer.

WIRED A compact combo flashlight, utility blade, fire starter, and emergency whistle. Works great as a camping tool.

TIRED Flashlight beam isn't too bright and only extends a short distance. Black-colored blade is tough to see the outline of. Flip-open blade can be hard to close.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Photo by Alex Washburn/Wired

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